Tag: museums

7 Reasons Why Artsy Rocks The Art World

January 27, 2015 Content Marketing 1 comment

Michael Jackson and Bubbles

Do you love art? I certainly do. Especially works like Jeff Koons’ Michael Jackson and Bubbles (courtesy of Artsy).

While I’m not an art collector myself, I enjoy visiting art galleries and museums. I relish uncovering the rich and multi-layered narratives behind each and every artwork, immersing myself in aesthetic experiences which transport me from the ordinary to the sublime.


Dinosaurs Live! at Singapore Science Centre

November 19, 2011 Blog 3 comments

Dinosaurs-Live!
Tina and Ethan posing next to an animatronic Apatosaurus

“Roar, Growl, Hiss, Grr, Screech and Scream!”

Welcome to the world of the fabulous dinosaurs (also known as the “terrible lizards”) at Dinosaurs-Live!, a recently opened exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre.  Happening from now til 26 Feb 2012, the exhibition showcases almost 50 life-sized dinosaurs, reptiles and other prehistoric creatures brought realistically back to life by awesome animatronics.


20 Things I Loved About London

November 12, 2011 Blog 2 comments

As part of my recent work trip to London, I spent many hours visiting numerous museums and art galleries in the city, topped by a full day meeting with the Tate Group. The institutions I visited include the Tate Modern, National Gallery London, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A Museum, and the British Museum. While the trip was exhausting – we’ve put together a comprehensive report on its outcomes – there were many learning points that we have gleaned from some of the world’s leading cultural institutions.

Here are 20 highlights of my trip, in no particular order. Note that this list is quite museum-centric as that’s where I spent most of my time.  Each highlight is accompanied by a photograph.

20 Things About London
An eye catching installation at the entrance of the V&A Museum.


Smithsonian Institution: A World Class Museum Operator

November 4, 2011 Blog no comments


Aerial view of the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC (source: Tripadvisor)

As part of the Business Of Heritage conference, I had the pleasure of learning about how the Smithsonian Institution built its world class reputation as a leading museum brand.  Delivering the talk was Ms Elizabeth Duggal, Director of International Museum Professional Education Programme of Smithsonian Institution and Co-Chair of ICOM United States. 
Here are some of the key points of the talk which I thought would be useful to share.
Excellence in Museums

Should Museums Attract Niche Or Mass Audiences?

October 31, 2011 Blog 2 comments

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NHB’s Night Festival 2008

I love reading Nina Simon’s Museum 2.0 blog for her cutting insights on stuff happening in my neck of the woods. One of the issues that she recently wrote about – audience development – is something that museums and art galleries in Singapore are also grappling with.

In her post, Nina questioned the need for museums to organise “hip” events to attract younger audiences at the expense of alienating a broader more diverse crowd. While many museums have shifted from being a “cabinet of curiosities” for an elite few to “community destinations”, the question now arises whether their activities should be narrowly focused on distinct segments or appeal more broadly across visitor groups.


Sail on the Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium!

October 6, 2011 Blog 2 comments

Maritime Experiential Museum

Southeast Asia’s exciting maritime past comes alive this 15 October with the opening of Singapore’s first maritime museum. Known as the Maritime Experiential Museum & Acquarium (MEMA), the attraction at Resorts World Sentosa features more than 400 rare objects including the Jewel of Muscat (a life-sized reproduction of a 9th century Arab dhow), and treasures from the Belitung Shipwreck.  Designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, an international museum design firm, the museum depicts the romance of a bygone era with tales of seafarers braving the stormy seas along the Maritime Silk Route.

Set in the 15th century, the museum’s centrepiece revolves around the story of legendary Admiral Zheng He who launched many maritime voyages from China to the Western oceans with a fleet of 300 shops.  Through highly interactive features and realistic replicas, the stories of exotic lands and seas from the past comes alive.


Touring and Learning from the Tate Modern

April 8, 2011 Blog 1 comment

Tate Modern

Occupying a disused power station in the heart of London beside the River Thames, Tate Modern is one of the world’s leading modern art museum. With an impressive display of art from 1900 to the present, Tate Modern attracts some five million visitors annually, and is one of a family of four Tate galleries in the UK (which includes Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives).

Collectively, the Tates cover the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day, and of international modern art. All their collections are accessible online, and the Tate Group embraces an extensive social media engagement strategy encompassing Facebook, Twitter, Youtube videos, photos on Flickr, a Video Channel, and a Blog.